


From Me To You

by the_albatross



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: AU, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Class Differences, Classical References, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-11 14:53:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19929889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_albatross/pseuds/the_albatross
Summary: Note: this is not a historical AU piece but was loosely based off the world building by Diana Wynne Jones in 'Conrad's Fate'.Tatianna comes from a family of newly acquired wealth and finds that there is very little that is denied to her. Yet despite that prestige she still lacks a companion that she can truly relate to, someone who shares her passion for literature and life...at least until Alaska's family returns to their homestead following a half-decade long war. Then suddenly it's like new chapter of her life has begun; she has a friend with the same interests, someone who cares as deeply about books and traveling as she does. It was like a dream come true, Tatianna finally had all she wanted in life but was a friendship truly everything she desired from Alaska? Or was there still something more she still craved?For @Citrus in response to their comment of 'how dare you give me only one sentence of alaska/tatianna'thank you @fannyatrollop for beta-ing for me!





	From Me To You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [artificialcitrus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/artificialcitrus/gifts).



When Tatianna first met Alaska it was for no more than a few minutes, so it was no surprise she hardly had any memory of the girl other than a foggy image of a tall, lanky blonde who intimidated her ever so slightly simply because she was a few years older than herself. At that point Tatianna must have been about 11 or 12, still young enough to be overwhelmed by the massive party her parents had dragged her to and then again by the composed young lady who was already a teenager and seemed infinitely more mature in Tatianna's eyes than her parents’.

The brunette had a distinct memory of clutching onto her dress as she gave the older girl a shy smile while their fathers introduced them. Even then Tatianna could see that their parents' friendship with one another ran quite deep and they had high expectations that the same would be true for their offspring. At the time of that particular party neither had any inkling of the changes that were soon to unfold for each of their families. Each would experience a very different kind of success though; ones that would separate the families for years to come but that was all in the not-so-distant future still. For now they were attending a rousing party at a mutual friend's estate and mingling with other colleagues they rarely had a chance to see otherwise.

Travel was somewhat inconvenient; unless you had a number of fast horses, it was likely that even your closest neighbor was still almost a day's walk away from where you lived, unless of course you happened to have settled near a town. These people, though far from the nobility that rules over various principalities in the land, were still wealthy enough to have been able to purchase large tracts of land to build their homes and settle their families in. Living in town meant more social interaction but also meant a certain lack of privacy that distance and money provided. So most tended to live within a day or so's ride from a nearby town or two but still remain far enough away from that community to avoid becoming the targets of any unwanted gossip.

And all the families here had found the beginnings of their fortune either through military or business success. Tatianna and Alaska's family were the same in that regard. While Alaska's father had a certain military prowess that earned him recognition and favor from the upper-upper class, Tatianna's father worked hard applying his knowledge to certain investment ventures that had already slowly begun paying out. Even one of his latest investments had proved more lucrative than initially expected and in celebration of that he had bought Tatianna a new, personally tailored dress, an unheard of luxury for her at that time.

Putting on the piece and having even grown women's eyes on her in appreciation of the garment was an unusual experience for her, especially considering she was so young still. Yet as she met Alaska she recalled that out of everyone, she had hoped most of all that she impressed the reserved, polite teenager in front of her. There was a kind smile on the blonde's lips but no matter how hard Tatianna searched her mind at a later date, she could not remember if she ever actually heard Alaska speak that evening.

Their parents had done most of the talking themselves and as their fathers caught up on recent events in their lives, their mothers swooped in and took charge of introducing their daughters to other young guests that had been brought to the party by their parents. In large part these events served two purposes; for the adults it was a chance to socialize and maintain friendships with other members of their class while for their offspring, the primary goal was to introduce them to one another in the hopes that an interest in marriage would one day develop and of course, begin their networking for when they reached adulthood.

But the thought of marriage was still a ways off for either young lady.

They didn't see each other again that night and soon Tatianna had forgotten about the blonde, particularly by the next day when her tutor picked up with her schooling once again. Then in just a few short months, Tatianna overheard her father lamenting the fact that his close friend was being called off to war. Though it wasn't uncommon for there to military work that needed done throughout most of the years, this time what was expected of Alaska's dad turned out to be quite different than his past arrangements for his service. As Tatianna learned through a number of stealthily overheard conversations throughout the next couple of days, Alaska's entire family was being moved 'temporarily' with him as he served for the duration of the war. However, as compensation for having to uproot his wife and child from their home, he had been given a higher position within the chain of command as well as a promise for future consideration of further promotions if he performed well.

All the same, it was clear her parents were concerned for their friends’ safety. They had made a strong promise to watch over the family's household until they returned...and that was the last Tatianna heard for a long while. 

Within a year of the announcement of the latest war, Tatianna's father had quite unexpectedly hit a stroke of luck with a number of his new business ventures. He had his hand in a number of investments, most related to providing aid for the war such as owning shares in weapon suppliers' stock, arranging for steady supplies of produce and meat to various military camps and rather dicey gamble of supplementing the country's postal service with some horses he bought just on the off chance they might pay out in the future.

All of this had been calculated risks but still risks all the same, yet in just a few months the businesses were turning a profit and Tatianna's family's fortunes were beginning to accumulate. Soon her cotton dresses had become ones of expensive silk and tutors were pulled from some of the highest education backgrounds. She always felt rather lucky if somewhat embarrassed by all of the extra attention that was now being showered upon her. There was very little she was ever denied so long as she asked her father persuasively enough…

Though he hardly seemed concerned with the price involved with spoiling his daughter, Tatianna was acutely aware of just how expensive some of her belongings were, especially when compared with some of the town's residents or those of her own servants. But of all her possessions, her favorites had not been the dresses or jewelry but in fact was her literary collection. She practically devoured every book that came into her life and quickly developed a small library consisting of some of her absolute favorites.

But it seems her passion for reading was almost to make up for the lack of it within most others she had met. True, nearly every child from the other aristocratic families read to some extent but even still it quite hard to find someone as willing to discuss the novels as she was. Then there was also the challenge that very few had read such a variety as she had.

It was just as well though. She never really got the chance to see many other people aside from those who lived in her household or less frequently, those in the nearest town. Schooling was her focus at the moment, largely due to her father's reluctance to allow her to travel with a war going on. But he promised quite ardently that one day she would be able to travel, with a companion of course, he said, once it was safe enough for her to do so. He wanted her to be as worldly as he never got the chance to be as a young adult. He had to work quite hard to get to where he was and though sometimes he was required to leave the estate to tend to business in person, he never really travelled for pleasure. He wanted better for his daughter but again, safety was the primary issue at the moment.

For now Tatianna had to remain content simply reading about the places she longed to visit with the hope that someday she would be able to witness them in person.

As she passed her sixteenth birthday, news from the frontlines finally emerged. The majority of the war had already been won and while there were still a few important battles left to be fought, Alaska's family was given permission to return home, though sadly it would be without her mother. About three years into the war, a particularly harsh bout of illness swept through the camps and unfortunately Alaska's mother had been one of the few to die from it despite all of the medical attention that had been given to her. Her body had simply been weakened from the stress of the war and the knowledge that her husband was off fighting in the midst of it. So once the disease came to settle in the camp, she had been claimed along with about 50 or so additional residents in the nearby area. 

Tatianna's heart had broken a little when she heard the news, but it would still be another two, nearly three years before Alaska's father would be able to return home with his daughter. For his exemplary effort with the war he had been knighted and given the title of 'Count', consequently turning his estate, as well as some neighboring land awarded to him, into a small county. But as Tatianna's father pointed out, the title, though now hereditary, did little to actually help his friend financially after the war. A large part of the salary he had earned simply went to living expenses for himself and his daughter. They had enough saved and awarded after the dismissal to maintain their household and the few servants who would be returning to their post, but not much was left beyond that for a man who was essentially restarting his life.

To remedy the situation, as well as welcome his dear friend back home, Tatianna's father took charge of updating and renovating the household that had been left alone these past couple of years. He called upon his wife and daughter to help give the manor a warmer, more friendly air. Tatianna herself was given charge of redesigning Alaska's room with something more modern and fitting for a girl her age. The task was a little daunting considering she had no idea what Alaska's personal taste was, barely having a memory of what the girl looked like anymore, but she settled on simply creating an inviting, relaxing atmosphere for the woman who would now be one of her closest neighbors.

The bedding she chose was warm and soft in light colors, the decorations were modernized but kept minimal to avoid unnecessary cluttering around the walls. The vanity desk that Tatianna picked out for her was one she was exceptionally proud of as it had a large number of drawers and storage space without taking up too much room. The wooden paneling surrounding the mirror might have been a bit flashy but as a whole the piece was so beautiful that Tatianna felt it simply belonged in the room. The carpeting was replaced with something more plush, and of course the closet filled with a number of new, casual outfits that exemplified the latest fashion crazes. But out of all of this, Tatianna was most excited about the novels she had stocked on Alaska's new bookcase. Her mother had mentioned that Alaska also had an interest in reading, not there was opportunity to do much else while she traveled the warfront with her father, but as to what she read...that was a mystery.

So Tatianna gave in to a slightly selfish desire and filled the shelving unit with a couple of her own favorite works and a few from other areas of interest just to cover her bases.

But aside from all of that, Tatianna found that she was quite longing to have a new friend, one actually close enough that she could see on occasion. So in the hopes of kindling this new friendship, she left a pen and stationary set on the vanity, as well as a letter of her own welcoming her back to the area.

When it came time for the family to actually reenter their home, Tatianna, her parents, and a few servants gathered in the main hall to greet the unsuspecting homeowners. All of this had been a surprise for them, further evidence of just how deep a friendship Tatianna's father shared with Alaska's, yet despite that knowledge, she still found herself somewhat nervous as to how it all would be received.

She waited anxiously beside her parents, fiddling with the lace on her sleeves from sheer nerves as she waited for the door to begin opening. As the heavy wood finally began to part from the door frame, Tatianna found herself trying to bite back a smile as she awaited to see the family reenter their home for the first time in several years.

At first it was quiet, almost terrifyingly so as the father and daughter stepped past the doorway and took a look around all that they could see in the room. There was an indescribable expression on the man's face as he turned to his long-time friend, then in just a few seconds the pair was rushing forward to embrace one another in long overdue hug.

"Welcome back," Tatianna heard her father say as she stood a few feet behind him at her mother's side.

The two immediately began diving into a fast paced conversation alternating between catching up and exchanging words of gratitude; one for the overly thoughtful gesture and the other for his friend's safe return but Tatianna could scarcely pay attention. Her eyes immediately drifted to the now grown up blonde in front of her who she just barely had come to recognize.

The shoulder length hair Tatianna had remembered from her youth had now grown to reach the young woman's lower back, the parts that hadn't been piled in a simple but classy bun at least. Glittering just so in the light, Tatianna could see a few pins with semi-precious gemstones adorning the charming updo. And even in her simple, travel worn dress she looked like the model for the most perfectly picturesque, polite young woman as she waited patiently for her father to reconnect with his old friend. Every so often her gaze would drift Tatianna's way but they had yet to make genuine eye contact. Again, much like she had felt when they met each other so long ago, Tatianna longed to impress the older woman but true to her childhood self, she felt terribly anxious and dreading the inevitable moment she would make a fool of herself.

Almost as if her father had read her mind somehow, he stepped away from his friend to properly introduce the young women to each other once more. As they shook hands and exchanged small grins, Tatianna was sure her palm was noticeably sweating and trembling. If she had realized at all, Alaska showed no sign of it and turned her attention to Tatianna's mother and father who had begun asking her about her experiences out in the countryside. For the life of her, despite how it looked like she was actively listening to the blonde's answers, Tatianna could not remember a single word of what she had said only ten minutes later when her mother encouraged her to show Alaska her refurbished room.

Almost meekly and now somewhat afraid as to how her changes would be received, Tatianna led Alaska at a brisk pace down the corridor to her bedroom. As she reached out her hand to open the door, she found that it was shaking and her heart raced away in her chest with the desperate prayer that Alaska wouldn't mind all that she had done.

Holding her breath, she stepped past the doorway and allowed Alaska to take in her redesigned bedroom. Almost immediately a shocked gasp escaped the older girl as she gaped at everything that had been changed since she was last there. Again Tatianna prayed this was a good sign.

The blonde darted from each new object studying it closely before moving onto the next all the while Tatianna remained sheepishly by the doorway. When Alaska finally turned back to her, Tatianna's head dipped down and in a hesitant tone she inquired softly, "Is it alright?"

"'Alright'?" Alaska squeaked out as her eyes began to fill with tears, "It's better than 'alright'! I love it!"

The brunette barely had time to form a pleased smile before she found the older woman's arms wrapped tightly around and pulling her in for an expressive hug. There was a brief squeeze as Alaska murmured appreciatively, "Thank you so much."

The stunned woman was just beginning to raise her arms to return the gesture before Alaska remembered herself and hastily pulled away. Looking almost afraid, the blonde tried to apologize, "I-I'm sorry, my Lady, I forgot who-"

"It's okay," Tatianna assured her with a shake of her head as she tried to dispel the growing confusion she felt towards the reaction.

Guiltily, Alaska disagreed and took another step back as she argued, "No, it’s not. I crossed a line. I'm sorry, my Lady. It won't happen again-"

"Alaska," Tatianna interrupted her firmly, "It's fine...I promise."

It was very apparent the blonde still felt very apprehensive despite Tatianna's reassurance. But what Tatianna couldn't shake was the overly polite way that Alaska kept referring to her. She was used to it from the hired servants but not by someone older than her. It just felt...wrong that Alaska would address her as 'my Lady.' After all, her dad was now a Count...wouldn't that mean if anything that Alaska outranked her?

Deciding to address it now, Tatianna advised the young woman as kindly as she could manage, "And please, just call me 'Tati.'"

"Lady Tati?" Alaska asked as her head cocked to the side.

It was so adorable that Tatianna almost wanted to laugh but all she did was give a patient smile and reaffirm, "Just 'Tati'."

To her shock, Alaska's eyes immediately widened and she looked quite helpless as she shook her head vehemently. Again the confusion was steadily rising in Tatianna's mind but she forced herself to attend to Alaska's polite but adamant denial, "Forgive me, my Lady, but I can't. That's too informal for me to address-"

"How?" Tatianna questioned as she finally gave in to her curiosity. Was Alaska not aware of her father's own position? "Your father is a Count. If anything I ought to be calling you 'my Lady'!"

At once Alaska's eyes softened into something almost akin to pity...as though she were about to explain something to a small child that ought to have been very obvious and simple. Tatianna's cheeks started to flare as Alaska's voice dipped into one of a very cautious, almost painfully patient tone, "My Lady, I don't think you realize just how powerful your family actually is...My father might have a title but they gave those out to a number of the other commanders who served in the war....Your father however, he has influence....connections, you know. His standing is much higher than that of my father's, title or not."

All at once, despite all of the schooling she had gone through, Tatianna felt horribly ignorant. She wanted to shrink away in embarrassment and hide in the carriage until it was time to leave. And now that Alaska was gazing down at her with those unbelievably kind and understanding eyes? It was all she could do to mutter in a near shame-filled voice, "I...I didn't know..."

"That's alright," the blonde assured her almost in the same manner a favorite mentor would, "Your father was never one to brag about his position and my own absolutely raves about how kind he's been over the years, especially to his friends. He's never let his influence go to his head and it seems he never impressed upon you just how high your standing actually is...It's perfectly understandable."

Tatianna just wanted to crawl up and die at the moment. She just couldn't believe how blind she had been and then to have a near stranger explain her situation to her? It was mortifying. But even so, it didn't change the fact that she still did not want Alaska addressing her in a manner so overly rigid and formal.

Still noticing a hint of shame in her voice, Tatianna told the older woman, "Thank you...for explaining that but please...could you still just call me 'Tati'?"

A mutter of reluctance was beginning to form on Alaska's lips but quite hastily, Tatianna was swift to cut her off with a small compromise, "If you must, you can still address me as 'my Lady' in front of others but while we're alone...can't we just drop the titles? Please? Or even just 'Tatianna' if you'd prefer that."

It looked as if Alaska was still going to refuse for a moment but to the brunette's relief she heard the slow drawling out of 'Tatianna' filling the empty space between them. As Alaska wrapped the name around her tongue, seemingly trying it for the first time out loud, the woman in question felt her stomach twisting into a series of tight knots. Somehow just hearing the blonde saying her proper name felt more right and more natural than any other time she heard it falling from another's mouth. If she were paying closer attention she would have sworn her heart skipped a beat as the final syllable escaped Alaska's lips.

Her grin was brighter than ever and when Alaska caught sight of it any trepidation she might have still harbored slipped away as she agreed to the proposal. And with that understanding, both felt they had taken an important first step in establishing their relationships with another. But desperate for a change of topic, Tatianna redirected Alaska back to the bookcase and showed her all that she had stocked on the shelves.

"I wasn't sure what you'd like to read," the brunette admitted with an apologetic smile, "So I put some of my own favorites here and left some space open for yours."

Admittedly charmed by the statement, Alaska confessed, "I've read a number of these already...I rather like them, too...though it looks like now I'll have doubles."

The pair had to laugh at the turn of events and instantly fell into a vibrant discussion over their interest in a few common titles. Before long they had begun acting like old friends, much like their fathers, and after a brief look outside, Tatianna suddenly asked, "Do you ride at all?"

"Not actively," the blonde stated in a casual tone, "But my dad did teach me a bit on some of our calmer days while travelling from one camp to the next."

Excited, Tatianna's face immediately lit up as she offered, "Do you want to go riding now? We have enough time before dinner it looks like."

Alaska's expression faltered as she admitted as though it were a point of embarrassment, "I...don't have any proper riding clothes."

The blush that graced the older woman's face was too deep not to be noticed but Tatianna quickly brushed it off and corrected her with a confident, "Better look in your closet then."

Curiously, Alaska stood up from the mattress the pair had settled on nearly an hour ago and rushed over to the small walk-in closet that she had left nearly emptied all those years prior to her departure. It had been the one feature of the room she had not inspected as she expected it to remain just as barren as she had left it when her father was called to war.

Upon opening the door however she was nearly overwhelmed by the flashes of color and various shapes of the garments that had greeted her. And like Tatianna had mentioned, about midway inside she found two new pairs of riding clothes waiting for her to try on. She spun around in shock, seemingly unable to force her brain to come up with any sort of coherent thought. But after she was finally able to thank the younger woman for the generous gift, she remembered all too quickly that there was another small problem.

"I don't have a horse though..." she mentioned as her eyes fell to the ground. But suddenly her head shot up as she suggested, "But my father might let me borrow his!"

Almost giggling, Tatianna insisted, "You can use one of ours! They're a bit bigger than what I normally ride but I'm sure my mother and father won't mind if we borrow them tonight so long as we promise to be careful...and go with the groomsmen too."

If Alaska had any inclination to refuse the offer, the younger woman didn't notice as she grabbed the blonde's hand and excitedly led her around the house in search of their family. Though the ride wasn't likely to be very long, perhaps maybe an hour if that, it'd still be quite fun and Tatianna was itching to explore the area a little bit. Upon drawing near the living room, it was quite easy to tell that their parents had taken to relaxing on some of the new furniture as dinner was being prepared. The doors separating the area from the hallway were left slightly ajar and their voices could be heard filtering out into the otherwise quiet abode.

As the two young women drew near the heavy oversized doors, Tatianna heard Alaska's father asking in a casual manner, "Have you begun searching for Tatianna's husband yet?"

Immediately she stopped dead in her tracks and felt herself taking in a shallow gasp. Her ears were beginning to pound and before she could explode into the room to stop the conversation from proceeding any further, she found her own father correcting his friend in a gentle tone, "Wife. She'll be looking for a wife."

The brunette's face was burning brightly but she couldn't bring herself to look at Alaska's reaction. She found she could scarcely even pay attention as the conversation continued, "My apologies, I didn't realize. Have you begun searching for a young woman to marry your daughter?"

It shocked Tatianna that he was so understanding of the statement but more than anything she found she was dying to hear what her father was going to say. They hardly talked about such a serious topic yet and she found she was terrified as to what his answer might be.

With a heavy sigh, Tatianna heard her father's contemplative voice replying, "There have been a few offers coming in already but...we'd like for Tatianna to choose a bride of her own volition."

At once the brunette found that she could breathe again and an audible sigh of relief echoed in the quiet hall. But still she didn't dare look over to the older woman just yet. They hardly knew each other and a subject like this was rather heavy to discuss upon their first true meeting. She just wasn't sure how Alaska was going to react and anything negative...it might just break her heart. In truth she'd lost a few friends over the years after they had learned of her sexuality and if Alaska would be one of them? That'd be crushing, she just knew it.

But quickly moving the conversation along, Alaska’s father asked with a slight laugh in his voice, "I trust the ice princess is not on that list."

"Thank the heavens," Tatianna's father responded quickly. She could almost hear him rolling his eyes as he added, "She's not on ours nor my daughter's."

"That's a relief. Have you heard the latest bit of news from her court, by the way?"

"The last I heard was that she had sent two marriage proposals of her own," her father mused as he recollected the details from the most recent piece of gossip. "Both to members of Asian nobility, strangely...a young woman with a title of some kind, I believe, and another without a title."

Tatianna could hear the amused edge in Alaska's father's voice as he offered some additional insight he had gleaned following his brief appointment at court prior to his return home, "There's been a bit of an update regarding that. It seems the young princess, rather queen now, that she had sent her proposal to has also sent out two such offers herself...one to a girl with a title and one without..."

Intrigued, her father asked in wonder, "The one with the title?"

"Raven," his friend replied meaningfully. The ice princess herself. Though that hardly seemed to be a surprise.

"And the one without?" It was easy for Tatianna to imagine her father, as well as her mother, on the edge of their seats as they waited for further information of some kind. After all, that's what Tatianna would have been like had she been sitting down too. Instead all she did was creep closer to the door as she heard Alaska's father say almost scandalously, "It was the very same woman Raven sent hers to."

There was a murmur of shock from her parents as they made a number of hushed comments to themselves and their friend about the situation. It was here that Tatianna finally dared to look at Alaska.

When the young woman was no longer right behind her as she'd previously been, Tatianna felt her heart clenching. She thought she'd been abandoned once Alaska heard the news about her sexuality but after turning her head just a bit further, Tatianna noticed a figure slumped against the wall just two feet away.

Alaska looked absolutely miserable as she stared off into space.

Very cautiously, as she still did not know what to expect just yet, Tatianna moved beside her and gave a small noise encouraging the older woman to say what was on her mind. The blonde's eyes look quite pained and helpless before she finally admitted in a whisper, "I know all three of them."

It took Tatianna a second to register who Alaska was talking about but once she did, she placed a gentle hand on the blonde's shoulder and probed with a soft, "Yeah?"

"They're in an absolute mess right now..." she lamented as her heart ached for her friends. "Raven is frustrated...Raja is worrying herself sick and Manila...I haven't seen her but I'm sure she's in tears over this."

Tatianna nodded in understanding as she remembered all the pieces of gossip she had heard regarding the other women. She didn't know Manila, likely due to her being in a foreign country and Tatianna forbidden to travel at the moment, but the other two...she knew of quite well. She'd never gotten along with Raven, not that there was much chance to get to know her. She was currently involved in a power struggle for the throne and of course the title of 'princess'. As it last stood, another young lady's family was the one in power though there was ever increasing support for Raven's own family and by being the eldest in the direct line of those fighting to overtake the throne, she was expected to become the new princess and later, possibly after marriage; the queen. A number of citizens in the surrounding area, her supporters or otherwise recognizing her claim to the title had taken to calling her 'princess' already. Though more often than not, those that actually knew her would refer to her as the 'ice princess'.

There were very few people the young lady would allow to get close to her but the rumor was that once you had won her favor, her personality changed quite dramatically. She was open and loyal to her friends, joking with them in a way few others got a chance to see. Those that came to see this side of her also had become enamored with her. Enough to want to continue spending time with her at least. And it seems some portion of that rumor might be true if she managed to charm Raja enough into sending a marriage proposal of her own.

This particular young woman, though a few years older than Raven, had ascended to the throne without much fuss or objection. Long before the crown was properly placed on her head, she had been beloved and respected by her people and her coronation was evidence of that. People cheered all around the country as she took the throne and soon proved herself to be a capable leader. She seemed to have put off the thought of marriage until she had a firm handle on her empire but there was a whole new situation brewing for her now. Not one concerning matters of state but of the heart and mind. Tatianna for one was curious as to how it all would play out, as well as who this other noble lady was who lacked a title yet managed to capture the hearts of two powerful personalities.

Trying her best to be comforting, Tatianna assured her, "They'll figure this out. I'm sure they will."

The blonde shot her a grateful smile and stood up straight again as she thanked her. As she brushed away the hint of a tear, Tatianna noticed that even though she herself was quite tall, Alaska still had at least two inches on her. It was a nice change to have a friend who was not male yet still taller. But there was still one last answer that Tatianna needed to know before continuing to pursue this friendship any further. Swallowing back her fears, she asked with trepidation, "And you...you're okay with...that, right?"

Alaska gave her a momentary look of confusion before the younger woman quickly elaborated, "Their sexualities, I mean...who they are attracted to and all."

Still with that adorable perplexed look on her face, Alaska questioned, "Why wouldn't I be?"

At a loss for a decent answer, Tatianna just nodded her head and swiftly changed the subject, "Do you still want to go riding? We could do something else if you're not up for it?"

"No," Alaska reasoned after thinking about it for a moment, "It'd be good to clear my head...at least for a little while. Shall we go ask?"

The last syllable was hardly said before Tatianna's enthusiasm returned once more and she was dragging Alaska into the living room with her to face their parents. With as charming of a smile as she could manage, she asked, "Would it be alright if we went out riding before dinner? We promise to take the carriage driver with us!"

The pair of fathers looked at each other in apprehension, before Alaska's own stated cautiously, "I'm fine with it...so long as you both are very careful. Do you have any objections, Barrett?"

Shaking his head, Tatianna's father replied, "No, just so that they promise to be back in time to clean up. I'd like to have a proper dinner to welcome you and your daughter home...so that would mean you two need to wash and change into clean clothes, not your riding gear, to eat with us. Can both of you do that?"

Elated, Tatianna replied, "Absolutely!"

"Then go ahead," he consented with a reassuring look towards his friend.

"May we also use two of the horses from our carriage?" Tatianna inquired with her usual brand of politeness when asking her father for what she considered to be a large favor.

"Of course, love," he relented with a smile, "Just take the smaller pair, please."

"Thank you!" the brunette called out ecstatically as she rushed from the room with Alaska in tow.

While Alaska ran off to her room to begin changing, Tatianna had to double back to the carriage in order to pick up her riding clothes. In truth, she had anticipated, or at least hoped, that she'd have a chance to ride while out here visiting and stashed her gear in a bag she kept hidden under the seat. Though this set had clearly been used quite heavily over the last year and a half since she took up riding more seriously, she loved these worn out clothes as much as even her most expensive dress. And once the gear was on she had to admit she looked more natural in them than Alaska did in her newly bought ensemble. The overly clean clothes looked a bit out of place on her as she tugged on the sleeves and collar somewhat uncomfortably.

It didn't take much imagination for Tatianna to picture the young woman riding in more simple gear, likely borrowed from her father given the environment she had learned in. Even on the horses, their different backgrounds were quite striking. Tatianna's riding style was one of precision and practice, having been trained to follow some common rules regarding style. Alaska's was one that had been learned through trial and error. She had learned how to ride out the motions as they came, her body moving almost like one with the horse's despite having never ridden this particular one before. As the brunette watched her smiling away as they galloped, she couldn’t help but form a small grin of her own.

It really had been a good idea for a quick ride before dinner.

******

Upon their return to the estate, they found they had been out a bit longer than anticipated but still thankfully left with enough time for a quick wash and changing of clothes. The dinner itself, while meant to be formal, ended up being far more friendly and casual than Tatianna had expected. It spoke greatly of just how close her father was to his friend.

When Tatianna's family had to leave in order to make it back to their home at a decent hour, she called out to Alaska to be sure to read the letter she had left on her vanity. She was quite anxious as they drove away but once the manor was out of sight, Tatianna found herself gushing over all she and her new friend had talked about. Her parents listened very patiently and highly amused that the girls had hit it off so well. Tatianna herself was quite glad for it too. She longed to have a friend nearby that she got along so easily with. She just hoped Alaska felt the same and would return a letter of her own before long.

In fact, it was only a week before a page from Alaska's estate arrived with a response. It was detailed and wordy, expressing all that had been done since she and her father moved back in properly and soon, Tatianna was penning a reply of her own. Rather quickly the pair found that they had a lot they to discuss, not just to catch each other up on daily events but also to dissect even deeper thoughts, especially those regarding literature. The amount of paper the pair had used during their correspondence could have easily filled a book of their own yet when each read through their latest piece of mail, it still felt like it wasn't enough.

Months of this type of communication had gone on uninterrupted until there was hardly a week where at least one letter each wasn't exchanged between the two. Eventually during one of their family dinners, Tatianna's mother remarked casually, "Instead of constantly sending the pages back and forth every week, why not go see Alaska?"

Shocked, Tatianna nearly dropped her silverware onto her plate and rounded on her father for a confirmation of what her mother was proposing.

"Could I?" she asked trying to keep her voice steady despite how her spirits were immediately beginning to soar.

Nodding with a small, vaguely reluctant smile of his own, he advised "I've discussed it with your mother...she and I feel you're ready to begin travelling, within reason of course. I've already sent a letter off to Robert asking for his permission and he said you are welcome to visit on the weekends so as not to disrupt either of your studies...If you will agree to take one of the stable hands with you, I don't see a reason why you can't go visit Alaska. But do try to return before nightfall."

Elated, Tatianna felt like she would have promised anything now that the opportunity to see her friend was more than just an idle thought. She truly hadn't expected to see Alaska so soon, let alone that she would be granted permission to travel without her parents. Almost immediately after dinner she set herself down to write another letter, this one short and sweet, asking if it would be alright to visit the following weekend. The response was delayed only two days and even through the constrained wording, Tatianna could pick up on just how excited Alaska was as well.

Once the weekend came around, Tatianna and one of the groomsmen mounted their horses in the early morning and set off to arrive at Alaska's household before midday. The blonde had seen her coming up the driveway long before the pair was even announced and like a shot she was rushing outside to greet her friend. Tatianna barely had time to drop to the ground before she was met by Alaska’s bright and shining grin. Knowing the girl a bit better than she had during their last meeting, Tatianna took the initiative to launch herself at the older woman and embrace her in a tight hug.

She hadn't realized just how much she truly missed Alaska's presence until they were finally reunited once again and to her immense relief, Alaska returned her gesture almost instantly. The rest of the day went far too quickly as the pair walked around the grounds, ate lunch together, and chatted away about anything that came to mind. It was heart wrenching when Tatianna's groomsmen gave her a polite reminder that they ought to be heading back soon.

Nodding in understanding, she sent him to get the horses ready while she reluctantly wrapped up her visit with her friend. To her credit Alaska looked just as unhappy as Tatianna felt but there was little that could be done. They promised that their next visit wouldn't be too far off into the future and in just two weeks, Tatianna found herself waiting impatiently by her bedroom window for the first sign of Alaska and her father's horse to appear on the bridleway.

Almost as quickly as their written correspondence became a weekly habit, so did the pair's visits to one another become part of their new routine. Eventually their day-long visits extended to the entire weekend with the pair alternating who slept where. Though their parents allowed for the girls to visit each other every other week, they seemed more than content to let the friendship blossom in any other way they chose. A lot of their approval seemed to be just from the sheer joy that the girls got along as well as their fathers but Tatianna found herself wondering every now and then if perhaps she felt something more.

Alaska was an absolute joy for her to be around. She was kind and intelligent, witty and full of laughter. Tatianna loved seeing her smile, whether it was nearly doubling over as she cackled away or just a distracted curl of the lips as they walked around the household grounds together. The brunette found that she wanted to do nearly anything within her power just to keep Alaska smiling for a little bit longer and as for Alaska? The feeling seemed to be mutual. She was fascinated by the younger woman; loving her unique take on some of the common books they read, her vaguely sarcastic humor at times, the way she listened so carefully to every word Alaska said before offering her own reply.

Each felt like their friendship was one of mutual respect; neither was trying to gain anything from the relationship other than a companion, someone they can relate to in a manner they hadn't really experienced with anyone else. They longed to spend more time together and just a bit over a year after Alaska's return home, they got their wish.

It was summer again and as the temperatures rose and their studies took a break, Alaska's father and Tatianna's parents agreed that it would be alright for the girls to visit a mutual friend's beachside villa. It wasn't an exceptionally large house, not like either of theirs but it was a chance for them to spend more than just two days together. They had been given permission to stay for a full week relaxing in the sun and each other's company. Though their fathers' friend had staff living in the house year-round and of course the girls would be bringing a chaperone each to ensure they remained safe, it was still an opportunity for some additional privacy and freedom to be themselves without any additional pressures to act proper for once.

The journey to the house itself took from dawn to well after dusk. There was scarcely a chance to unpack before each turned in for the night but the next day?

The two were up far earlier than their normal sleeping habits would allow in order to rush off to the beach. Though the chaperones refused to let the pair swim, thinking it was indecent and far too dangerous despite the calm surf and seclusion of the property, the two found they were content just to walk along the shoreline in their bare feet. Tatianna found herself struggling to pay attention to anything other than Alaska as they walked close together and the elder of the two fussed over making sure Tatianna's dress stayed dried. True, they bundled and tacked each bit fabric until it was midway up her calf but still the blonde was desperate to keep Tatianna's dress from getting hit by the waves.

The woman in question loved the feeling of walking on wet sand as the cool water pooled around her feet but she found herself charmed by the way Alaska seemed so concerned for her. It wasn’t anything uncommon, the older girl was always trying to be mindful of Tatianna's status despite how the latter wished with all that she had that Alaska would simply relax and forget about their social standings. But that wasn't in Alaska's nature. If Tatianna was going to disregard the social etiquette that everyone had deemed appropriate for them, then Alaska would just have to try twice as hard to make up for it and reel the younger woman back in as needed.

Even today when they were supposed to be free from society's expectations, she just couldn’t let that side of her relax completely. She paid extra attention to the pattern of the waves and warned Tatianna to be careful of each new swell coming in. She steadied the brunette at the slightest sign of unbalanced footing and ensured they both stayed under the protection of their parasols at all times. It was almost exhausting but she couldn't stop herself from fawning over the younger girl.

As for Tatianna, a large part of her was distracted by just how happy Alaska seemed to be otherwise as they walked down the length of the beach. Her eyes would gaze out into the distance of the ocean and more than once Tatianna was reminded of the similarities of both, be it the shared color or depth they both contained. As they paused to eat their lunch on a grassy hill overlooking the sea and surf, Tatianna was struck by the sudden realization of how relaxed they both had become...and by how clear certain feelings had begun to make themselves known.

Before, she had her mind trained to focus on specific things; household concerns, her relationships with other friends or family connections, and especially her studies, but now? There was nothing she had to focus on other than what was happening right at that moment and of course, that meant Alaska. Her heart was swelling at the sight of the older woman enjoying herself in a way she'd never seen before. The only time her smile left her face was if she was fussing over Tatianna to be careful.

And then as they relaxed on the hill together with no one else nearby to pry her attention away?

Tatianna found that more than anything she just wanted to reach over, brush away some of those long locks floating in the gentle breeze and kiss Alaska with everything she had. She wanted to pull the blonde close to her, hear her gasp just before their lips connected and then revel in the overwhelming joy she'd feel once the gesture was returned.

But all too quickly she was shunted out of her daydream at the sound of the blonde speaking to her. She quickly recovered her senses and they continued on with their walk down the opposite direction of the beach they had came in at and that was the end of those thoughts for awhile. She refused to let herself think about that again until later that night.

They had each retired to their respective rooms but Tatianna was nowhere near ready for bed. Though she had changed into her sleeping attire already, she was still wide awake. Part of her mind was trying to make sense of all of these new feelings that seemed to have developed while another part simply mulled over the small grumblings of the blonde as they left the beach that afternoon. Alaska had muttered as they made their way back to their caretakers that she wished they could have been able to swim at least for a little bit. After replaying that scene only twice, Tatianna suddenly found herself struck with a devious thought.

Slipping from her bed, she put on a pair of well-worn flats and padded quietly down the hall to Alaska's room. Knocking softly on the wood, she discovered the blonde had not gone to bed yet either. Upon entering the bedroom, she found Alaska curled up in the alcove by the bay window and deeply engrossed in a book she had brought along for the trip.

Mildly concerned by the sneaky grin the younger woman was wearing, Alaska questioned her as to why she was up so late still. Despite her mostly calm expression, a decent amount of her focus was spent on trying to force back the blush she felt settling on her cheeks. Tatianna had never seen her in her night clothes before despite how often they spent the night in each other's homes. It felt oddly intimate for anyone to see her with such thin coverings on. But despite her embarrassment she found herself almost immediately complying as Tatianna urged her to put on a pair of shoes and follow her downstairs.

Not quite aware of her own voice, Alaska made to question the brunette as they wandered the halls but was quickly shushed into silence as they passed by the doors of the residents and their chaperones. Not daring to make a sound, Tatianna pulled Alaska with her until they had reached the kitchen and suddenly the blonde realized what her friend was planning. Her heart was racing at the thought of sneaking out and soon she found herself engaging quite enthusiastically as they crept out the back door and shut it with a soft thud.

It was only once they were a couple hundred feet away from the house that the pair dissolved into shrieks of laughter and ran the rest of the way down to the empty beach. It looked absolutely stunning in the moonlight, their eyes slowly adjusting to the pale glow as they followed the natural path to the sandscape they had left just a few hours prior. Even before the grassy lawn gave way to the entrance to the beach, the girls were stripping off their shoes and ready to deposit them at the very edge of the walkway.

Once free, the pair dashed straight into the ocean wading up to their calves and disregarding how their pant legs were becoming soaked or how the water temperature had dropped several degrees following the sun setting over the horizon. They stood together for only a moment before Tatianna was pulling Alaska with her even further into the surf and ultimately splashing the blonde with a light spray of sea water. Alaska returned the sentiment, each giggling wildly to themselves and treading further and further until the water was thigh high. Neither knew how long they spent just splashing around, swimming and laughing with one another but before either had a chance to recognize it, something in the atmosphere changed and they found their laughter cut off as their gaze connected in an unusually intimate manner. Before either truly had a chance to think, they found their lips and bodies pressed closer together than they had ever dared to before.

Tatianna was sure that she had been the one to initiate the contact but if she could have read Alaska's mind, she would have found a similar thought running through the blonde's head as well. Regardless of how it started, it had finally begun and neither wanted to stop for anything. But still Tatianna pulled away in shock, blaming herself for pushing her newly discovered affections on her closest friend but almost immediately found the blonde's lips chasing hers in an effort to reconnect them. That little motion was all it took to convince her to continue and she did so with abandon.

She poured everything she had felt that day into this one kiss, loving the way Alaska responded so eagerly and desperately like she'd been waiting to do the same for just as long as she had. The two were clinging to each other, unwilling to pull away until eventually there came a mutual decision to work their way towards the shoreline. Even then their hands hardly left one another's body for more than a second or so before they found their way back to one another.

Somehow, and rather gracelessly Tatianna imagined, she ended up straddling Alaska as the tide flowed around them and her fingers ran through the older woman’s sopping wet hair while their lips continued to work together in a seamless fashion. Every so often one of them would break away to gasp and the other would seize the chance to dust their cheeks or neck with a multitude of kisses while they collected themselves. Neither quite knew what they wanted at that particular moment other than to just remain together for even for only a few minutes longer.

Hands slid almost anywhere they could reach but the kisses themselves remained surprisingly chaste in spite of the overwhelming emotions that fueled them. Finally as the moon was beginning to sink low in the sky and the water line rose ever higher; they were forced to separate and find their way back to their forgotten shoes. The return back to the house was quick and quiet, each trying to figure out just what had happened and what it meant as they escaped off to their rooms.

Tatianna felt wretched as she left Alaska's company to go and change out of her soaked clothes but for the life of her, she couldn't come up with anything to say to the blonde. Alaska seemed just as lost and stunned as she was as she held an musive look on her face upon reentering her bedroom.

Tatianna was toying with the idea of going to see the blonde again and try to talk until she heard a light knocking on her door. Immediately knowing who it was, she pulled on her dry clothes and rushed to answer the door herself. Alaska had scarcely been in her room for more than a few seconds before the door was shut and the pair found their way back to one another.

This time the kiss was far more passionate, more expressive of the long suppressed desire and both loved that feeling more than anything. It was as though everything they ever felt for one another had come bubbling to the surface and allowed itself to be displayed in a simple but meaningful gesture like none other could. The two collapsed onto Tatianna's bed but it was there they finally slowed down. Their actions became more languid, more deliberate as hands travelled over each other's bodies once again. But that was all they did that night. They didn't talk, hardly thought about what was happening other than how glad they were that it did and that their feelings were reciprocated. At some point the pair fell asleep mid-kiss and when Tatianna woke up the next morning Alaska was curled into her arms, her blonde hair tangled with Tatianna's brunette locks and fingers wrapped loosely around the fabric of the younger girl’s clothes as though she wanted to cling to every inch she could reach.

No one made any comment when the girl's damp clothes were discovered other than one of the chaperones asking that if they truly must swim in the ocean to at least take another person along to watch over them. That sort of reaction was typical Tatianna thought. Despite the supposedly strict rules the caretakers, especially hers, were expected to follow, if she happened to break them there never seemed to be any consequences. It was just another example, she had come to realize, of just how privileged she was.

And as expected the rest of the girls' vacation was spent in close proximity to their chaperones but once night fell and the watchful eye of the staff had gone to sleep, they were back in each other's arms once more. They still did not speak about this change to their relationship, just acted as though it were natural and normal. And each knew better than to mention a word of it to anyone, especially their parents, once they finally returned home. From that point on they had taken to sneaking off together at every chance they got as their expected level of privacy had dramatically dropped from the time they spent away from their households.

No one seemed to suspect anything was going on; the two always spent so much time together over the weekends that not even the servants or patriarchs of the house batted an eye when the two would slip off somewhere for hours on end. The pair had begun using the excuse of wanting to ride the horses and after convincing their fathers that they were perfectly competent to do so on their own, they were free to explore most anywhere in the immediate area without needing to take along a stablehand. In truth they hardly made it even halfway down the wooded bridleway most of the time before they were hopping off their horses and walking hand in hand together. They had even settled on a nice secluded spot for their liaisons where they and their horses could rest while sitting under the shade in relative secrecy.

But then once nighttime came?

They could be found sneaking off to one another's bedroom after everyone else had turned in for the night. Most of that time was spent in something almost akin to domestic bliss; chatting away as one of them would rest their head in the other's lap, cuddling together as they read their favorite books, exchanging a few brief pecks or even a little more if the mood struck them. It was all so peaceful and relaxing that each wished their weekends together never had to end. Alaska loved waking up to find Tatianna's fingers combing through her hair in the morning and the younger woman never found herself happier than seeing Alaska's sleepy smile as one of the first sights greeting her as she slowly came to.

It was heartbreaking whenever one would have to travel and their sleepovers would be postponed. Most often they never went more than a few towns over to call on old friends from other families or pay respectful visits to relatives. They were always back within a few days and their rituals would resume. But one day Alaska announced rather sadly that'd she be away for much longer than usual in order to attend a very private, very exclusive get together with some of her friends in another country. Though Tatianna had mostly forgotten about the fiasco that had gone on with Raven and her marriage proposals, Alaska still kept in contact with all three involved and though the scandal took several months to resolve, they seemed to have worked out an arrangement.

All this had occurred long before Tatianna and Alaska's beach trip and then everything was quiet except for a few occasional mentions by Alaska from time to time. She was a little tight-lipped on what she heard from the women; the three wanting to keep nearly everything hush-hush for awhile but lately Alaska found their letters to be quite exciting and now they were inviting their closest friends together for some kind of party it seems. The blonde was ecstatic and couldn't wait to see them in person but even so her heart was aching at the thought of being away from Tatianna for so long.

She apologized repeatedly as the two fell into bed together the night before she'd have to return to her own home. With almost every kiss that she pressed to Tatianna's neck, she whispered out, "I'm sorry."

The younger girl almost wanted to laugh, but instead all she allowed herself was an amused grin as the older girl moved to straddle her and replied consolingly, "It's only three weeks. Then you'll be back home."

"I know," Alaska whined as her hands trailed over Tatianna's clothed waist, "I just...I'm really going to miss you."

She meant every word of it, Tatianna could tell, more than she ever felt she knew how to express. Decisively, Tatianna pushed herself from the mattress, Alaska firm in her lap, and grazed their lips together. Her fingers tangled themselves loosely in the long blonde locks they found as she pulled away just slightly to reassure her lover, "It's okay...We'll write every chance we get until you're back. You can make me feel like I'm travelling with you."

"I wish you could," she lamented as she returned to placing sloppy, lazy kisses up the sides of the younger woman's neck. "Don't want to leave you alone, even for a minute."

Her fingers carefully slid across the younger woman's stomach as Tatianna gasped quietly in her suddenly far too hot room. Alaska had never been this insistent before; grinding into her lap, placing frantic kisses anywhere she could reach. Tatianna could almost swear she felt a sort of electricity bursting everywhere Alaska ran her fingers and at the moment they were currently hovering over the line of buttons on her pajama top.

Her breath was hot and heavy as she asked, "Can I?"

Tatianna bit back a low whine and nodded her head. This was a new step, never had they seen each other in anything less than their night clothes. And now that Alaska was slowly and methodically undoing each button as she worked her way up, Tatianna found her face burning hotter than she could ever recall.

As the final button popped open and the top hung loosely on Tatianna's shoulders to expose her bare chest, the room remained eerily quiet. Tatianna could hardly hear over the pounding in her ears but very clearly she saw Alaska mouthing out 'Fuck' in pure wonder.

Within seconds Alaska's fingertips were roaming over the bare skin, grazing anywhere they could reach as she gradually began to narrow her attention on Tatianna's breasts. She was gentle; massaging them lightly as she kissed her way down Tatianna's chest until she reached the first bud. The second her tongue had begun to swirl around the sensitive skin, the brunette began gasping out the elder girl's name. Taking that as encouragement, Alaska proceeded to shower the younger woman with all of the attention she deserved. While her mouth remained occupied with one side, she never let other stay unattended. Her thumb and fingers would tease the other bud or rub soothing patterns into Tatianna's skin as her chest rose and fell from the pleasure.

Alaska loved how genuine and expressive Tatianna had become beneath her touch. The needy tone she'd never heard the younger girl use before, the soft whines as Alaska switched sides, the near breathless gasp once her mouth was back on Tatianna's skin...It was all intoxicating.

Very slowly, one of Alaska's hands began to trace lightly down Tatianna's stomach as she detached herself long enough to whisper, "Wanna take care of you before I go. Wanna make you feel so good."

The brunette was absently nodding her head until the implication of what Alaska was intending to do rang clear in her mind. The blonde was hooking her fingers around the sleeping bottoms and beginning to tug them down before the younger of the two gasped out, "Laska, wait."

Immediately her fingers stilled and she looked down in concern at the brunette beneath her. Tatianna had seemed so into it just a moment ago but now that Alaska had a chance to look at her, really, really look at her, she found an expression she'd never seen on her partner before. She was wide-eyed, mouth slightly parted as she panted and her cheeks held a heavy blush. There was a just noticeable crease on the younger girl's forehead but it was only when she saw Tatianna giving a tense swallow that Alaska had realized what this all meant.

Hardly believing it could be true, Alaska questioned her partner, "Have you ever done this before?"

Almost shamefully, Tatianna shook her head but Alaska's heart was swelling with a flurry of emotions. She cupped the younger woman's face and pulled her in for a deep kiss. The hands Tatianna had kept on her waist tighten almost possessively as they remained locked together until the last trace of air left their lungs.

Tilting the younger girl's chin up, she left a series of light kisses spanning from her cheek to her temple, and swore in a hushed, caring tone, "I'll be gentle with you, I promise."

"I know you will," Tatianna affirmed with an apprehensive smile feeling quite guilty and torn by her decision, "just...not tonight."

Alaska nodded her head in understanding but her expression was far from happy. She was terrified she had just messed everything up and on their last chance to be together for nearly a month. Her trembling hands retreated instantly and clasped themselves together in an anxious manner as she asked, "Did I...did I move too fast? I'm sorry if-"

"No, I want to!" Tatianna swiftly assured her as she pulled Alaska's worrying hands into her own, "...I just...want to wait a little longer. Is that alright?"

"Of course!" the blonde replied all too quickly, "Whenever you're ready."

Very decisively, Tatianna's expression turned unusually serious as she stated, "When you come back."

Shaking her head, Alaska tried to dispel what she thought was a hasty promise and began rambling, "I don't want to-"

"Pressure me?" Tatianna interrupted with an understanding, touched undertone in her voice. Lifting her hand to cup the blonde's cheek, she guided their lips back to another for a brief second and then pulled away to look deep into Alaska's still worried eyes. Feeling a good deal more confident in her decision than Alaska would have ever guessed, Tatianna confirmed, "I know and you aren't. I swear I want to do this though, but not right now."

The blonde still seemed unconvinced yet nodded her head in approval. There was still time for Tatianna to change her mind after all. But that that activity was to be placed on hold for the time being, the pair instead returned showering each other with lust-filled kisses. For nearly an hour it seemed, they had kept this up until they were lost in their own little world with just one another. Neither could believe that they had been so lucky as to find their partner and have their affections returned. Even still, as the night began to slip away so did Alaska's preoccupied thoughts of trying to remain somewhat modest for the remainder of her visit. She hadn't even noticed that she was grinding almost desperately against Tatianna's thigh until the younger woman pulled away to gasp in surprise, "Lasky!"

All of a sudden she became aware of what her body had been doing and her cheeks filled with a deep crimson. Frantically, so as not to offend her partner, she apologized, "Sorry, sorry! It felt so good, I didn't realize-"

"It's okay," Tatianna assured her as her voice dipped into a low, persuasive pitch, "Keep going."

Alaska was stunned to say the least, hardly daring to move in case she had misheard the younger woman. Yet to her ever growing surprise, the brunette insisted, "Want to see."

Obediently, Alaska's hips began moving again and the pair resumed their liplock. There was something more passionate about it this time, more fiery and demanding. Now it was Alaska's turn to feel overheated. More than once she had to break away quicker than usual to catch her breath, particularly once her pace started to pick up. It wasn't long before she was moaning softly into her partner's mouth, "Tati..."

Almost rolling her eyes, Tatianna push back a lock of hair that was sticking to Alaska forehead and teased softly, "So _now_ you're gonna call me that?"

But Alaska could hardly hear her, could hardly pay attention as Tatianna slipped a hand beneath the fabric of her shirt. Whether or not the younger girl was intending to remove the night shirt was irrelevant. Once Alaska felt her fingers running across her bare skin she was quick to strip herself of the constricting material. The freedom once the top was gone was wonderful but it was nothing compared to way Tatianna looked at her. The brunette was staring, raking her eyes over every inch of flesh like she was studying some kind of masterpiece. She hardly dared to touch the older woman despite how much she wanted to.

"It's okay," Alaska whispered through the pants she was trying to hide, "Whatever you want to do, it's fine."

Accepting the invitation, Tatianna placed a hesitant hand over Alaska's ribs and nearly the same instant the blonde stilled her hips. She was aching to keep going, her body crying for it, but she didn't want to spook her partner. She let Tatianna take her time, gain her confidence as she explored the upper half of Alaska's body with her hands and mouth. She was inexperienced, sure, but so careful and considerate with all she was doing. She never wanted to risk anything that could hurt the older woman and only became firmer with her caresses after Alaska assured her it was all right.

She tried her best to imitate all that Alaska had done to her and it seemed to be having the desired effect. The blonde was trying to restrain herself as best she could but her hips just wouldn't listen. Despite her best efforts she had begun grinding against Tatianna's thigh once again but thankfully the younger woman didn't seem bothered by it. She too focused on touching and tasting every inch of skin she could reach.

But in spite of how good the friction felt, Alaska needed more. Tatianna could see that clearly. She was dying to touch herself but she was still trying not to push anything too far and Tatianna was appreciative of that. Yet her curiosity still won out. She pulled away from Alaska's chest and stopped the blonde's movements with an amount of strength that surprised even her. Alaska blinked down at her not quite sure what to expect until she heard the persuasive whisper of "Show me."

It was all Alaska could do not to let her mouth drop open so that she looked like a gaping fish. Her stomach was turning in the most pleasurable way at the invitation to both show off and get off in front of her partner. It was an enticing offer, one she longed to take up but strangely unlike before when her body would not stop, now it would not move.

Trying her best not to sound any more pressuring that Alaska had been earlier, Tatianna asked, "Could I see what you like?"

Her tone made it clear Alaska could refuse at anytime but she found she didn't want to. She already wet and more than ready to go, the only thing that stopped her of course was the thought of Tatianna. So inexperienced compared to her, she didn't want to overwhelm or scare her after all.

Taking the subtle clues from the emotions playing across her partner's face, Tatianna asserted, "If you're alright with it...I'd like to watch you."

Finally Alaska's restraint broke and she found herself sliding off the bed to remove the last traces of her clothes. Very carefully she crawled back into Tatianna's lap and settled there letting the younger woman drink in the sight before pursuing this any further. The hand of her lover running across her skin was so soft and featherlight she hardly knew it was there save for the burning sensation her fingertips left in their wake as they moved over every inch. After what felt like hours had ticked by but truly couldn't have been more than two minutes, Tatianna turned her gaze up to Alaska's dazed one. Her eyes had grown dark with lust and her hands twitching to continue her work. With an encouraging nod from the younger woman, she gave in to the temptation once and for all.

Though she hardly felt she needed it at this point, she still teased herself if only to put on as much of show for Tatianna as she could. The younger woman was fascinated by everything she did. From light tracing against her folds, the slight dip into the heat that produced a soft gasp, or the quiet whine that escaped as a lone finger brushed against her clit for the first time that night. Despite a light blush settling on her face, Tatianna found that she wanted to see it all and soon she got her wish.

Alaska easily pushed in the first finger and began moving but her eyes never left Tatianna. She drank up the way the younger girl was watching her like she was a beautiful piece of art. Though she ached to have it be Tatianna inside of her, tonight she would have to settle for her fantasies. As soon as she felt comfortable, another finger joined the first and produced a subtle gasp from both women. It was like neither could get enough out of this little scene but Alaska had saved the best for last.

As she drew closer to her release, she finally allowed her free hand to find its way to her clit. She knew once she had started with this, there'd be very little that could stop her from moaning out the younger woman's name. The shade of red on Tatianna's cheeks grew even darker but she quickly discovered how good her name sounded falling from the other woman's lips like this. She couldn't wait until it was her drawing out these moans...until they wouldn't have to be concerned about volume or servants or family overhearing them. She wanted that time to come sooner than ever but that was a thought for later. For now her attention was focused on the blonde trembling in her lap and whispering that she was close.

Tatianna's hands found their way back to Alaska's breasts, teasing the nipples gently as she captured Alaska's lips for herself. The blonde's movements were becoming sporadic, hardly any consistency left to them until there was a final crescendo of her hips and she was moaning Tatianna's name into her mouth. She was glad for that muffling, unsure of how loud she might have gotten otherwise. Almost certainly enough that it would have been heard outside the immediate vicinity of the room.

Though she would have liked to continue the liplock, Alaska was forced to pull away in order to catch her breath as she slowly worked herself down from her high. As the pleasure ebbed away she withdrew her fingers and cast a quick look around the room in search of handkerchief or something to wipe them clean. But Tatianna had one final surprise for her...

Carefully clasping her hand around Alaska's wrist, she locked eyes with blonde as she wrapped her lips around the digits that had just been inside of her partner. Their cheeks were a matching shade of red and it hardly felt like either was breathing as Tatianna thoroughly cleaned the fingers and even provided a little show of her own as she swirled her tongue around each individually before finally pulling off with a shy smile.

Nearly as soon as she could, Alaska crashed their lips back together and the two fell backwards onto the mattress in a graceless heap. None of that distracted them as they let their actions show just how close they felt to one another at that particular moment. Eventually Alaska fell off to the side, exhausted by everything they had done and basking in the glowing smile her partner was giving her at the moment. Under Tatianna's gaze she truly felt more beautiful than she ever had before, particularly when the brunette placed considerate kiss to her temple and whispered, "Wish I could keep you like this forever."

Her chest was warm and swelling as she snuggled as deep into Tatianna's open embrace as she could manage. Her joy could hardly be contained tonight, it truly would be a wretch when she'd have to leave the following morning. But that thought was just a thin trace in the back of her mind. She simply remained focused on the body next to her trailing smooth lines into her bare skin or brushing back locks of hair as they fell into her face.

"We should get you dressed...gonna be cold later."

"In a minute," the blonde replied, "Just wanna lay like this a little bit longer."

*******

In the end Tatianna had to force them both to get up in order to rebutton her shirt and put some kind of layer of clothing over Alaska's reluctant body. She would have been perfectly content to fall asleep naked but Tatianna at least knew better. So she ended taking charge of finding fresh clothes and persuading Alaska to get into them.

The next morning was heartbreaking as Alaska left for home. In just two more days she'd be off to another country for almost a full month and neither wanted to be separated for that long; even a day felt like too much at times. But off she went and the pair promised to write each other as soon as they could. The first letter came from Alaska informing Tatianna of how she made it there safely and how excited she was to see her friends. Others had arrived that she had not seen in quite a while and though it was intended to be a relatively small get-together, it was shaping up to look quite fun and entertaining.

No one quite knew the purpose of the party but it was nice to see old friends once more, especially now that things had settled down after the proposal scandal. On her end Tatianna informed her partner of all things going on since she had left; what subjects she was learning, new books she had read, sights she had seen...and of course any town gossip that seemed to be of interest. Tatianna was spending quite a bit of time in town as of late but she left out the reasons why in her letters. While Alaska was off having fun and enjoying herself, Tatianna was settling some business with some of the local shops in preparation for her return.

As the final week of their separation dwindled down, Tatianna felt her nerves soaring sky-high. There were still two important tasks she had to complete but she found she was saving them until the very end out of fear of what might result from each of them. Alaska's letters were a source of comfort for her. It truly felt like she was at her partner's side with the amount of detail she put into each correspondence but the last letter stated that something utterly amazing had happened but Tatianna would have to wait until Alaska came home in order to find out.

She couldn't resist rolling her eyes as she read the paragraph teasing her with, 'You're not going to believe it!'

Typical Alaska.

Again she was reminded of just how much she had come to care about her lover and how much she actually missed her now that she was so close to returning. But all of this proved just how right her decision to pursue their future together was and with a racing heart she found herself standing in front of Alaska's house still a few days before the blonde was expected to arrive.

Knocking on the door, she was slightly surprised to be greeted by Alaska's father rather than a servant. He must have been in one of the drawing rooms closer to the front of the house rather than his study as she had expected.

Her cheeks filled with a light shade of pink as she greeted him sunnily, "Good afternoon, sir."

He looked just as shocked to see her standing there, particularly without her parents accompanying her. Thinking she must have anticipated Alaska's arrival to have been today, he regretfully informed her, "My Lady! My apologies, my daughter has not arrived back yet."

"That's alright," Tatianna replied having expected that answer. "I was rather hoping she wouldn't be here. May I come in and speak with you?"

"Yes, of course!" he responded as he hurriedly pushed the door open and allowed her to enter.

Almost immediately his formal manners set in as he led her to the sun room and called for tea and a light snack to be brought in. They exchanged a few pleasantries until a servant arrived with a full tray and as Tatianna took the first sip of her drink, Robert asked, "How can I help you, my Lady?"

Again there was that title but unlike when she simply felt a tad uncomfortable whenever Alaska used it, now it just seemed to make the gravity of her situation sink in once and for all. She felt like a bundle of nerves as she took a deep sip and set the cup on the small table beside her. Mustering up every ounce of courage she had, she spoke carefully, "I...I'd like to propose to your daughter, sir, and...I'd like to get your blessing before I do that."

She had tried to prepare herself for any kind of reaction he might have had but what she saw still managed to catch her off-guard. There a mix of emotions playing across his face; at first joy, then guilt, sadness, and finally regret as he tried to gently explain to her, "My Lady, please...even you must understand that's not quite...possible. I have very little dowry for her and-"

"It doesn't matter," she told him. And that was the absolute truth. A dowry was the last thing that had ever crossed her mind as she mulled over this decision for the past few months while in the arms of her lover.

Still he was unconvinced by her assertion and continued, "But your father-"

"He said I can marry a woman of my own choosing," she reminded him firmly even though she felt close to passing out as the blood pounded away in her ears. But still with utter resolution in her voice, she stated, "And I choose Alaska."

"But why?" he asked desperately, "I mean, we have nothing to offer you. Why wouldn't you want to make a more... _strategic_ marriage?"

A number of counter arguments ran through her head at that last statement, 'She'll inherit a title. Our families know each other well and ought to be joined. She'd look absolutely beautiful draped across my arm' but none of those were the truth and would have been utterly insulting to even speak out loud.

No.

The only reason she wanted to tell him would be the absolute truth and even as her body and voice shook with nerves, she declared, "Because I love her...and I think she loves me too...I believe we could be very happy together."

Daring to look him directly in the eyes so that he could see honest emotions that she felt for his daughter, she informed him, "A dowry makes no difference to me; I want a companion, not a trophy or accessory. I want to marry the woman I love...and I love Alaska."

He was silent for quite awhile after that declaration and it scared Tatianna more than she cared to admit but she wasn't going to run away in fear. She would see this through until the very end, no matter what his reaction would be. And then finally after what felt like ages, she saw his shoulders sag in something almost like relief and a proud smile stretched across his face. His eyes softened greatly from the worried ones he held just a few minutes prior as he said, "I think...she loves you, too...I would be happy to give you both my blessing."

Her joy at his words could not be contained and forgetting any sort of etiquette training she had, she rushed from her seat to embrace him. His arms around her reminded her of her own father and what she still had left to do but for now she was content to have Alaska's father's blessing for their relationship.

To her surprise he insisted upon accompanying her as she told her father the news of her intended proposal. Like Robert, he was stunned at first but with a glance to his friend, a very relieved smile was shared and he wholeheartedly agreed to support her decision. In the background she saw her mother rolling her eyes with an expression for her husband and friend that she would swear had meant, 'I told you so.'

And with that, Tatianna told them all of what she had prepared so far and they agreed to let her do the proposal in her own fashion and not speak a word of it to anyone until the women announced it themselves. The last details were smoothed out the day before Alaska was due to arrive home. Tatianna wanted to give her time to get settled in before bombarding her but Alaska was insistent on seeing her the first moment she could. She was simply dying to tell the brunette of everything that had happened that couldn't have been put into a letter.

By early afternoon, Tatianna had received word that her partner had arrived home and after an hour she was set to ride over to the estate. Even before she was entirely up the bridleway she found the blonde waiting for her much as had been the case in the past. In fact she was hardly off her horse before Alaska's arms were around her and their lips were connected again for the first time in weeks. Usually the girls would have had more of a sense of tact and discretion but after the long absence it was hard to blame Alaska for being so impatient.

And as for Tatianna? She knew it was no longer something that needed to be kept secret.

Once her horse was safely set up in a loose box in the stable, Tatianna found herself being ushered up to Alaska's room so that she could finally share her news. The blonde's voice could hardly be contained as she pulled Tatianna onto the bed with her and exclaimed with excitement, "Raja asked Manila and Raven to move into her palace and they said yes! They've been together almost this whole time since the proposal fiasco had happened! And the party that they invited us all to? It was a commitment ceremony! Like a wedding but you know, more about building the strength of their relationship and future together rather than just signing a marriage contract."

Even Tatianna had to smile as Alaska gushed about the news. Her happiness for her friends was infectious and even though she didn't know the other women very well, Tatianna found that she was actually relieved that everything had worked out for them. But it seems the celebration didn't stop after the commitment ceremony.

Practically squealing as she recalled all of the little details, Alaska continued on while she nestled her way into Tatianna's side, "Raven and Manila were crowned the day after, too! They're finally going to be princesses...it’s in title only, but still."

Her voice dropped low in contemplation but her smile was bright as ever. Tatianna could feel it as Alaska buried herself in her neck and whispered, "I'm so happy for them...I'm glad it all worked out, even if it took them awhile to get there."

"Me too," Tatianna whispered back, a little surprised by her own honesty.

For several minutes they laid like that but eventually Tatianna was forced to break the comfortable silence in order to ask, "I want to take you into town tomorrow, is that alright?"

Nodding away completely unaware of her partner's intentions, Alaska blissfully replied, "Of course...We can take the carriage."

Exactly what Tatianna had hoped for because if everything went well, they be coming back with quite a load of parcels.

********

The following day, the pair made their way into town bright and early so as to arrive there by late morning. This was at Tatianna's insistence and Alaska suddenly found herself curious as to what the brunette was up to. She supposed yesterday she ought to have been suspicious but she had still been so wrapped up with all that developed between her friends that her mind could hardly spare any attention for anything else. But now she was focused solely on Tatianna who was looking perfectly smug and composed as she refused to tell Alaska what she had planned for the day.

She knew her tone was becoming whiny but she hated not knowing. In the privacy of the carriage she could get away with far more than if they had just been riding on horses during the journey.

"Please tell me," she begged as she pressed her side into Tatianna's.

But the younger woman was more than prepared for this. She was an immovable force and simply shook her head with a teasing grin. This behavior had been going on for the last half hour and likely another 15 minutes or so until they arrived at the first shop.

"Just a hint," Alaska whined softly as she placed a sweet kiss to the side of the brunette's neck. "Please, Tati?"

The nickname broke her just like Alaska knew it would but still not as much as she had hoped. Tatianna rolled her eyes and after silencing her partner, if just for a moment, with a gentle kiss to the lips, she relented and said, "I'm taking you to pick out a new dress."

The blonde was shocked and a light blush rose to her cheeks. Sure, they exchanged gifts before but nothing as expensive as a dress would be. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about that but Tatianna was quick to swoop in and try to relieve her discomfort.

"Don't worry about the price, baby," she whispered consolingly, "whichever dress you want, it's yours."

Alaska was still tempted to decline but Tatianna was insistent and cut her off with a firm but kind, "Don't argue. Just wait till you see them."

Nodding her head, the blonde was still apprehensive but trusted her partner. To Tatianna's surprise she remained silent and lost in her own mind for the remainder of the trip and the quiet sparked her nerves quite a bit. When Alaska was prodding her it gave her some distraction from what she was about to do but now that there was no conversation, no matter how one-sided, to fill the air? It left her with too much time to worry about all that could go wrong.

But to her relief they arrived at the shop before long and as she was helping Alaska out of the carriage and into the shop she reminder her lover softly, "Remember, any dress you want, just tell me and it'll be yours, I promise."

Still the blonde was silent but she nodded her head with a shy but grateful smile. Her eyes hardly left Tatianna's frame until they had entered the shopfront and she finally had a chance to look around. There were beautiful dresses from wall to wall but something was odd. She wasn't sure what it was at first until she finally realized there was a stark lack of color to be seen.

Her voice held nothing but confusion as she turned to face Tatianna and say, "They're all white..."

She trailed off as she found her crimson cheek partner pulling out a box and flipping the top open. A gorgeous ring was inside but Alaska's eyes immediately made their way to Tatianna's. She was beginning to drop to her knee but before she even made it a few inches or was able to say more than, "Alaska, will you-" she was cut off with an adamant, choked, "Yes!"

Alaska's arms were around her and Tatianna could feel her body shaking with happiness even as a stream of tears dripped onto her neck. She found herself laughing as her own eyes began to flood and complained lightheartedly, "I had a whole speech, you know!"

"Later," Alaska replied through her sniffling, "My answer's 'yes.' It'll always be 'yes.'"


End file.
